title: Chlamydia trachomatis detected in human placenta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relation between Chlamydia trachomatis infection and stillbirth, placental tissue was studied for the presence of C trachomatis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paraffin wax embedded placental tissue of a stillbirth fetus, born at the 36th week of gestation to a 21 year old mother with high serum antibody titres to C trachomatis immunotypes during pregnancy and who was culture positive to C trachomatis three years previously, was studied by in situ hybridisation, polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry for the presence of C trachomatis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C trachomatis was detected in placental specimens by in situ hybridisation and alkaline phosphatase antialkaline phosphatase staining in several sections, whereas control tissues were uniformly negative, indicating the presence of C trachomatis nucleic acid and antigen in the placenta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first reported case in which C trachomatis has been demonstrated in the human placenta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gencay
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puolakkainen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wahlström
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ammälä
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mannonen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaheri
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Koskiniemi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial